Five College Consortium

Linguistic fieldwork - collecting primary data by collaborating with a native speaker of a language - is a critical step in generating and testing hypotheses about the language's structure and properties. In this "hands-on" class we'll explore techniques for eliciting data, methods of recording and organizing information, developing a good working relationship with the informant, and thinking about the fit between primary data and the general theory of language. The target language will be unfamiliar to students and instructor alike. Half our time will be spent collecting and recording data, and half will be devoted to thinking about and analyzing our material. In addition to in-class sessions, students will be expected to meet with the informant individually (or in small groups) outside class time, to pursue topics of special interest that will be the basis of a final report. Participants are expected to have a background in linguistics or related fields, and familiarity with phonetic transcription (or the willingness to acquire it quickly).